Stephen Colbert Joins CBS Crime Comedy Elsbeth After Late Show Cancellation

Stephen Colbert, whose long-running "The Late Show" on CBS is set to conclude in 2026 due to financial reasons, has secured a new acting role on CBS's crime anthology series "Elsbeth." He will guest star as Scotty Bristol, a fictional late-night talk show host on the program "Way Late with Scotty Bristol," connecting him to the late-night persona he’s known for, though the specifics of his character’s role in the show's murder mysteries remain undisclosed. The opportunity came about from a conversation with actor Wendell Pierce, star of "Elsbeth," who promised to help Colbert land a role after Colbert jokingly expressed a desire to appear on a CBS crime drama. Despite the end of "The Late Show," Colbert’s role in "Elsbeth" was planned well in advance, with producers supporting his participation even after the cancellation announcement. CBS emphasized that the decision to retire "The Late Show" was purely financial and unrelated to the show's content or performance. The move marks a transition for Colbert from late-night hosting to scripted acting, demonstrating his continued presence on television beyond his talk show tenure.